Homeless man left assault victim lying on ground to go drinking

A homeless man accused of murdering a pensioner told gardaí he left the elderly man he assaulted lying on the ground to go “on the p**s”, the Central Criminal Court heard.

Stephen Byrne (aged 36) has pleaded not guilty to murdering 70-year-old William Traynor in his home on St Francis Terrace, Bow Street on June 17, 2007.